GET INVOLVED

Burning Nest is created by you!

Participation

Burning Nest is a do-ocracy. Nothing happens unless we make it happen! This means you get to contribute to exactly the kind of experiences you want to have, and enjoy the fruits of everybody else’s creativity and effort.

No matter what you’re passionate about, we guarantee there’s a way for you to get involved – and meet some other A+ humans while you’re at it. Whether toting a radio with our heroic ranger team, building essential infrastructure, greeting the Nestling arrivals, creating décor and signage, offering a workshop, guiding an experience, or drafting genius web content, participation is the best possible way to immerse yourself in the Burn experience.

Communal Effort and Gifting are two of our core principles . By purchasing a ticket, you’re committing to participate in the ongoing co-creation of this community

Ways to Participate

(See more details about all of these below and through the links)

New to Nest?

Volunteering is a perfect way for new Burners to meet people, integrate into the community, understand the way things work, make it a bit your own and start to feel at home.

Some of the most straightforward ways to participate and integrate are to volunteer for a shift in listed in the “During the Event” section. There aren’t generally any prerequisites. Training is provided online ahead of the burn or on site. Plenty of first time burners do this!

If you’re keen to get stuck in, you might consider helping with Build. By arriving on site early, you have a chance to witness everything coming together from the ground up. You get to welcome new and returning burners as they arrive on site. You’ll quickly become a part of the furniture. Many hands make light work!

If you’re keen to understand how things work behind the scenes, join a Circle and help organise one area of the Burn. Yes, these roles are open people who never been to Nest before, and even to first time Burners! It’s a great way to take some ownership of the event and feel integrated before you even arrive on site!

Join a Team

The Nest Event Team is comprised of Nestlings like you volunteering their time and skills in the months leading up to Burning Nest.

Each area of work is managed by a “Circle” of volunteers and leads focused on certain aspects of the Burn. A “Link” is in charge of coordinating information and resources within the Circle, and between Circles. Some roles operate year round, and some kick in a few months prior to the event. If you’re a whiz with spreadsheets, have a penchant for cat-herding, or know your way around anything Finance or Legal-related, this is a great way to contribute throughout the year and in the weeks before the event, rather than concentrating it all during your burn week.

Click to see the full list of open roles and teams that are recruiting!

Volunteering During the Event

This is the bread and butter of how we make an event happen – looking after our community together during the event (or either side!). You could keep everyone safe as a Ranger, support people’s well-being in Welfare, help feed our volunteers in the kitchen, or any number of other roles. Nest can’t happen without Nestlings taking these shifts!

Everybody “working” during Burning Nest is volunteering their time, energy and care to co-create an exciting and safe burn for us all. For many, volunteering and contributing are some of the highlights of their Nest experience.

Click to see how to join a team or sign up for a shift!

Build and Strike

Nest’s infrastructure comes together in the weeks leading up to the start of the event. And then it all comes down again, leaving the Glade in pristine condition — hopefully even better than we found it!

It takes a full crew to make this happen! It’s not all hammers and nails… a range of roles are required to make it work.

Art

It wouldn’t be a burn without Art! Bring an installation or experience to site. Apply for an Art Grant to get funding for your creation. Design the Effigy or Temple and experience the immense pride and probably a whole range of emotions joined by hundreds of people burn it down together! Join the decor team to beautify the site and inspire and delight every Nestling every day.

Click here to see the important information, dates and application process for all things art!

Theme Camps

If you’ve got a great posse of humans or a cool concept you want to share with the paddock, creating a theme camp could be for you. This is your chance to: offer a rad communal space; provide a venue where you can play your favourite types of music; camp with old or new friends; share cooking duties – or something else entirely! Your camp can look and feel however you want it to.

You can also find existing theme camps here – some may well be recruiting for new members prior to the event, so keep your eyes peeled!

Events

Once you’ve covered off your volunteer shifts and your camping arrangements, the next thing you might wonder is how you want to spend your time in the Glade. If you want to gift a workshop, performance, hangout space, or event to your fellow Nestlings, this is your chance! Submit your own or peruse the Event Guide once it becomes available to see what’s on offer.

Burner Communities

Burning Nest comes but once a year. But the Burner community thrives year round! Connect with Burners near you. Create local events together. Visit other communities across the UK and around the world!